Cape Cod seen as possible site for unmanned aircraft

Wednesday

Jun 4, 2014 at 12:14 PMJun 4, 2014 at 2:14 PM

By Paul GatelyFor Wicked Local Cape Cod

Massachusetts can shine in the unmanned aircraft business if a Federal Aviation Administration Test Center at Joint Base Cape Cod can bring the technology and research sectors together with the installation’s various military missions; along with the training of young drone pilots, more specifically known as external ground operators.

This was the assessment early Monday night of MassDevelopment Vice President for Defense Contractor Initiatives H. Carter Hunt Jr., who briefed businesspeople, chamber of commerce representatives, the public and military commanders at the fifth informational session of the Mass. Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force.

To be fair, Hunt never referred to unmanned aerial vehicles - or their potential for the state and Upper Cape base - as drones. “I’ll never use that word,” he said after his push-the-limits-of-flight briefing at Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School.

The task force is considering the future potential of military facilities throughout the state against a backdrop of a $177 military bond bill authorized to upgrade bases to the point they benefit the service sectors and nearby communities – and create jobs.

There is a secondary reason as well for task force work. It might help deter any future Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) efforts to close Bay State installations, something civic, political and military leaders headed off in the middle of the last decade to keep the Mass. Military Reservation operating.

One project underway involves runway repaving at Barnes ANG Base in western Massachusetts where F-15 aircraft are assigned. The $23.4 million project entails funding by agencies, including the Air National Guard, FAA and Mass. Department of Transportation.

A $5 million reconstruction of Connery Boulevard from the Otis circle in Cataumet to the Otis gatehouse is also planned, along with an upgrade of Otis Memorial Park. Funding decisions for these projects are due by July 1.

The inevitable development of unmanned aircraft systems on JBCC, meanwhile, will be carried out in restricted air space on the sprawling reservation. The pilotless-aircraft project – with a fair degree of complexity – pivots on maturing technologies and entails development of flight-readiness plans, a determination of the failure rate in the first 100 unmanned flight tests and development of where the unmanned aerials can be flown.

Hunt, in his straightforward delivery that prompted no questions at the task force session, said the ultimate goal is to have unmanned aircraft – probably with payloads - integrated into national air space and – in particular – around Cape Cod over the next three to five years; that is, unmanned craft would fly in tandem with regular military and civilian flights.

There is talk some such Predator aircraft might be shipped to the Cape base for use by Air Station Cape Cod in maritime, shipping and ocean-surveillance matters, a mission that might prove more palatable to a public not fully understanding unmanned aircraft potential in the skies above; other than to agree another base mission would help the local economy and provide more jobs.

Predators are remotely piloted via satellite by pilots thousands of miles away and have been used in America’s last wars.

The success of the ambitious unmanned aircraft program in large part, Hunt said, would rest on the successful development of a “detect and avoid air traffic control system” and a method that could bring the craft back to earth in an emergency with minimal damage.

There are six military installations in Massachusetts and 44 National Guard armories, measuring 46,000 jobs and creating a $14.2 billion economic impact in the Bay State; something that should be expanded upon, military commanders and state Rep. David Vieira, R-Falmouth, said Monday night.

The key, Vieira said, is for all concerned to focus on research and pivot on “brain power” as a way to keep military missions here vital and forward-looking. Efforts to reduce “the cost of doing business” in terms of military operations could help matters.

Vieira said JBCC features the only U.S. Homeland Security Department airport in the U.S. He said it important in this regard to foster dialogue with the Coast Guard about homeland security issues being developed here.

On JBCC, there is planning to turn base wastewater treatment operations over to towns ringing the base and continue to develop energy-saving features. This would help defray military operational costs, commanders said.

A rail transfer is also pending at JBCC. The rail bed on the base to the North Falmouth line will be exchanged for land at Hanscom AFB in Bedford so an improved gatehouse can be developed there. There will be no impact on Mass Coastal Railroad usage of the JBCC local rail spur or the delivery of materials - via rail - to the installation.

A representative for U.S. Rep. Bill Keating, D-Bourne, told the gathering the congressman is intent on helping promulgate efforts to make the Upper Cape base a key cyber security center.

The session attracted state Rep. Randy Hunt, R-Sandwich, Barnstable County Commissioner Mary Pat Flynn of Falmouth, staffers from Senate President Therese Murray’s office and from Sheriff Jim Cummings as well as military members and chamber of commerce representatives.

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